Washington puzzled by Duterte’s declaration of ‘separation’ from US

The Associated Press

Published 2:09 pm, Thursday, October 20, 2016

Photo: AP Photo/Ng Han Guan

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Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte addresses members of the Philippine community in Beijing, China, Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016. Duterte’s effusive message of friendship on his visit to Beijing this week has handed China a public relations bonanza just three months after Beijing suffered a humiliating defeat by an international tribunal. less

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte addresses members of the Philippine community in Beijing, China, Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016. Duterte’s effusive message of friendship on his visit to Beijing this week ... more

Photo: AP Photo/Ng Han Guan

Washington puzzled by Duterte’s declaration of ‘separation’ from US

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BEIJING >> U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby says Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s remarks declaring a separation from the U.S. are “inexplicably at odds with the very close relationship” between the two countries.

“We are going to be seeking an explanation of exactly what the president meant when he talked about separation from us,” Kirby said Thursday. “It’s not clear to us exactly what that means and all its ramifications.”

Kirby said the top U.S. diplomat for Asia, Daniel Russel, is traveling to Manila this weekend and would hold conversations with Filipino government officials.

Despite Duterte’s increasingly sharp criticism of the United States, Kirby said the two countries’ 70-year alliance hasn’t yet been affected.

Duterte told an audience of Chinese and Filipino officials and businessmen at a business forum in Beijing Thursday that he was announcing his “separation from the United States,” a longtime ally.

The Philippine leader said: “Your honors, in this venue, I announce my separation from the United States ... both in military and economics also.” His remarks were met with applause.

Duterte was not more specific in his latest pronouncement of plans to scale back the Philippines’ engagements with the U.S.